These Cold Nights
by xoxoKelly
Summary: As I held her hostage, I never thought I'd be intrigued by her dark hair, golden eyes and complex personality. My boss's daughter. AU/All Human. Rated T for language.
1. These Snowy Nights

These Cold Nights:  
Chapter 1

* * *

She was typing away on her deep plum colored laptop.

I watched from my seat, no farther than a few tables away, as her eyes never left the glowing screen. Her dark hair was pulled in a high pony tail and there were slight bags under her eyes. It was midnight- or probably even later- and the two cups of coffee she had already wasn't helping her. I noticed as her eyes squinted while she raised her arms above her head, letting out a satisfying yawn that would make even me tired. She pulled her loose navy blue sweatshirt closer to her body as she resumed her typing.

The large cafe was empty. After all, it was a Sunday night and most students were probably in a deep sleep, getting ready for their early Monday classes.

A rough mixture of rain and snow hit the large window angrily and I could only imagine the harsh cold winds that must follow. Considering it was the middle of December, I would expect nothing less from the state of Montana. Although the coffeehouse was nice and warm with central heating, and even a large fireplace off on the right side. I felt warm in my seat, pretending to read the old book that I had already memorized every word of. It was a western novel, about cowboys and saloons.

A young waitress, with long blonde hair and beaming green eyes stopped by the girl's table, refilling her mug with even more steaming caffeine. She was tall, pale and her name tag read _Vasilisa_ in a pretty cursive handwriting. She seemed to know the girl that sat alone at the table, I could tell from the worry in her beautiful jade eyes.

"Rose," she spoke, "It's almost 12:30, you should go back to the apartment and rest."

But the dark haired girl never broke her eye contact with the screen, "Lissa, you know I have to finish this essay. McPherson will have my ass on a platter if I show up empty handed tomorrow. It's gotta be twenty five pages long- and not a page less," her voice was stern and hoarse, and it was probably because she was so tried. Her eyes were becoming red and puffier with every minute that ticked by. She stopped to take a sip of the hot coffee, grimacing a little as she burned her tongue.

Sighing, Lissa sat down on a chair across from her.

She grabbed her friends hand, which finally forced her eyes away from the computer. Her voice was soft, "Rose, I know McPherson may be a sad, lonely and pathetic English lit professor with no life whatsoever, but she isn't _cruel_. She knows that your mother just passed away. She'll understand," her eyes were laced with worry and her tone was filled with concern. But the mention of her mother made Rose's eyes flicker back to her laptop.

The girl shook her head, "I just need to finish two more pages, that's it. I promise."

Lissa squeezed her hand in her own, "Finish it in the morning. Your class doesn't start until noon anyway," her eyebrows ruffled as she tried to get through to her best friend. A few minutes passed as they shared silent words by just looking at each other. She knew that her best friend had a point, and from watching Rose, I could see the hesitation in her eyes.

"You're right," she acknowledged, stifling in another yawn, "I'm sure I'll work better on the essay with a clear mind and at least six hours of sleep."

"Try to get eight, you need all the beauty rest you can get," Lissa chuckled.

The dark haired girl let out a weak laugh before getting up and throwing on her coat. She pushed her laptop in her bag hastily and bid her friend goodbye, "Be careful walking home in the morning, the blizzard is only getting worse," Although they were best friends and roommates, the two girls lived on two very different time schedules. While Rose had classes from noon to five, Lissa had classes from six to midnight and worked at the campus cafe until five a.m.

They barely spent a couple hours a day together, but I could tell that they've been friends for years.

"I'll be fine," She smiled, "Anyway, Christian's walking me home," She tilted her head over towards a dark haired guy behind the cappuccino machine. Rose grinned tiredly and nodded before finally leaving the cafe. As the door swung open, a rush of cool air entered the cafe. Her legs moved fast in the cold weather, and before I knew it, her figure was already down the road.

Only seconds passed before I tossed a few dollars on the table and followed her out the door.

I was proven correct as a gush of cold, harsh wind took me off guard. I stumbled back a little, but my long legs made it through the fresh snow that covered the ground. It was dark out, but the street lamps and the few opened businesses offered enough light. On this college campus, lots of businesses stayed open for twenty four hours, knowing that some students had night classes. I passed by a busy library and continued down the familiar path I've been walking on for the past week. Snow was still falling from the sky and white flakes decorated my dark hair. Although I was a Siberian native, this blizzard was even too tough for me to handle.

Looking ahead, I spotted her small figure about half a block ahead. She wore her hood over her head, and I watched as she turned the corner, where her tall apartment building stood. I couldn't follow her anymore after that; the doorman would ask me questions and wouldn't recognize me at all. I stared at her descending body for a while longer before retreating down the empty street leading the opposite way. The nice warm bed in the campus hotel was calling my name, and I couldn't wait to drift into a deep sleep.

* * *

The next morning, it was still cold out but the snow had stopped falling somewhere around three in the morning.

My dark brown leather coat helped in the efforts to keep me warm as I sat on a frozen wooden park bench. I wasn't sure how long I'd been here- probably since the crack of dawn, mostly since I couldn't sleep during the night. I was warm in bed, with the covers pulled up tightly, but sleep did not come to me when I closed my eyes. My mind was racing and racing around subjects that I couldn't identify and things that I didn't want to think about.

I often found myself back in my small townhouse in Siberia with my mom and three sisters.

But I would shake my head roughly and erase the images because I didn't want to think about _them_. I didn't want to miss them, I didn't want to worry about them. I didn't want to worry about my pregnant sister, or my aging grandmother that lived with them. I had a job to do, and I swore to my boss that I would get it done. I needed that paycheck, the big one he promised me so that I could support my family instead of _worrying_ about them.

_What have I gotten myself into? Did I really make a deal with the Devil so I could take care of my family? _I groaned and covered my face with my large, rough hands. The calluses scratched my light facial hair and I moved up to rub the tiredness from my eyes. I brought my leather coat closer to my body, and let out a breath of cold air.

The wind was picking up, so I pulled my hair into a low ponytail as it tickled the back of my neck.

The sun was peeking between heavy clouds as it was rising up in the sky giving the mountains an orange glow. It was still dark though, considering it hadn't even reach 7am yet. The morning was still young, and the chirps of the birds and the scuffle of the nearby squirrels were the only sounds the park offered at the moment. It was peaceful, I had to admit, and sometimes I caught myself staring at a certain tree or mountain, daydreaming away.

But suddenly something caught my eye.

Squinting, I peered across the track field of the park, noticing a shadow lurking between the trees.

"Right on time," I whispered to no one but myself. I watched as the shadow revealed itself, walking onto the field. It was the same girl from last night. She was wearing long gray sweatpants, and a fitted white thermal shirt. Her cheeks were flushed and pink from the cool morning breeze, and her hair was tied up in the same long dark ponytail.

I watched as she placed her bag down and began to jog around the track field.

She moved gracefully and fast- although she knew how to steady herself. She knew the limitations of her own body and never pushed herself too far. She reminded me of a doe, as her body moved down the track and back around again. The curve of her legs, the movement of her small body, the way her arms moved back with every step. To top it off, I was completely oblivious to her. Sure I had the dark morning skies and cover of pine trees to disguise my appearance, but she never even glanced around to see if anyone was there.

If anyone was watching her.

It was almost like clockwork. Every morning from Monday through Friday she would come to the track at 6:45 am and leave at around 7:30 for school. She didn't care if there was snow covering the ground, or if the temperature traveled below zero (and, believe me, they did). She didn't care if the sky was pouring with rain, sleet or a mixture of rough hail.

I was used to it of course.

I was used to the harsh, cold weather because I grew up in a small town in Russia. The winters were even more brutal than in America, and I was raised to deal with the cruel temperatures on a daily basis. If anything, I embraced the wintertime for it's beautiful scenery, for the holidays, for the warm home cooked meals and the crackling fireplaces.

She paused, leaning over to catch her breath. My eyes never left her.

Her pink lips parted, and a cool puff of air was released. She was cold, and how could she not be? It had to be the coldest day of the winter. Regardless of the lack of snow this morning, it was a relatively frigid, brisk and breezy day. The kind of cold that sneaks up into your bones and makes you feel all stiff inside, making you not want to move.

Just as she caught her breath, she lifted her head and her eyes peered straight at me.

I flinched, and surge of electricity ran through my body. I felt a heat rise from my toes to my ears, and I was sure that my face was reddened in shock._ Did she see me?_ Of course she did... she was looking straight in my direction. Did I make a noise? Did I burp out loud without realizing? Her brown eyes lingered on mine for a few seconds longer before she pulled away. I gulped, feeling nauseous.

I was getting sloppy.

Two weeks ago, I was given one job. Just _one_ job. I was supposed to act like a shadow- always there but never noticed. I was supposed to follow her, keep tabs on her, find out what she does on a daily basis and whatnot. But I've failed.

She wasn't supposed to see me.

* * *

[A/N]: I'm currently looking for a beta reader, if anyone is interested please message me!


	2. These Long Nights

These Cold Nights:  
Chapter 2

She didn't show up the next morning, or the one after that.

I often found myself sitting in the deserted park, waiting for hours until I eventually gave up. She made rare appearances at the coffeehouse, mostly to study and spend time with her blonde roommate. She wouldn't stay too long in one place, and I couldn't find her anywhere after her classes were finished for the day. I managed to snag a copy of her schedule from the main office (oblivious to the secretaries) and even a list of all school clubs to see if she was a member of any.

Turned out she wasn't. Which perplexed me even further. _Where was she?_

On such a large campus, no one suspected me of not being a student. I could sit in the courtyard, or lounge in the cafeteria and no one would question who I am or ask for identification. A few times, I noticed people eying me, but I assumed that it was because of my significant height difference compared to everyone else. Other than that, professors and school security didn't seem to know the difference between me and the other thousands of students.

That was the _only _positive thing about being on a huge campus.

But because of this, I was at a huge disadvantage.

It was hard to find her through the crowds of people, especially when everyone was bundled in big coats, hats, and scarves covering their faces. The aftermath of the blizzard made it almost impossible to trek from the cafe to her apartment building, and back to the academic building in a short amount of time. Sometimes I didn't know where she was and had no idea where to check. In time, I figured she stopped jogging in the morning because the weather had gotten so cold and even I couldn't bare it.

Oftentimes I tossed and turned in my warm bed, trying to shake the image of her golden brown eyes staring right into mine.

* * *

It was a dark evening the next time I spotted her. It wasn't snowing, but it had the day before, so a thick white blanket covered the floor. It was around six o'clock and her last class had just ended for the day. I watched as she rushed out among a sea of students, all whooping and feeling excited to start their holiday vacation. Her legs moved hastily as her leather military boots made deep footprints in fresh snow. I followed her out of one of the buildings, crossed a street, and entered another.

Finally, she reached a brick building that stood near the dorms.

The campus library was warm, and I couldn't tell if it was because of the central heating or because of the amount of people that were inside. A bead of sweat trailed down the back of my neck as I suppressed myself within the mob. I lost her again as she squeezed her way through a group of chatting people. _I thought libraries were supposed to be quiet?_ At first, I couldn't understand why so many people were here at once, but a large banner over the librarian's desk gave it away. Today was the last day students could return their library books and used textbooks.

Finally, as I made my way through the crowd, I spotted her at a table with four other people.

The holiday break was just a day away, and instead of celebrating like her other classmates, Rose didn't even seem remotely happy. All around her, students were feverishly expressing their excitement about finals finally being over. They all exchanged their plans for the holidays and how they would spend their two weeks off before the next term.

I leaned against a bookshelf as I watched her studying the heavy textbooks in front of her. She couldn't have been sitting there for more than three minutes, but she already looked focused on what was in front of her. Occasionally she would glance at the people sitting near her, obviously annoyed by them. From what I could see, they were working on a last minute project together, but her teammates were more interested in some party that they all attended last night. As they gossiped about who slept with who and who threw up first, Rose stuck her head in another dusty old book.

I wasn't sure how long I had been watching her, but my eyes never looked away. For some reason, I noticed that she wore her hair down today, and it flowed a little past her shoulders. It was a dark brown that reminded me of roasted chestnuts that I grew up eating as a kid. Her cheeks were pink, still flushed from the cold weather, and she was wearing the same navy blue sweatshirt from that night at the cafe.

Suddenly there was a vibration in the pocket of my leather coat, and I reached my hand in to produce a cellphone.

"Yeah?" I answered, already knowing who it was.

A familiar voice replied on the other side, it was a smooth tone with a slight accent behind it.

"How's it going, Belikov?"

"Everything's fine," I breathed into the phone.

"You were supposed to check in with us yesterday, to give us a report."

"There was nothing to report," I retorted, then closed my eyes for a few seconds. There was no way that I could tell him that she _saw _me that morning. There was also no way I could tell him that I've barely seen her at all for the past three days.

"What do you mean _there was nothing to report_?" There was a slight tone of anger in his voice, but the smoothness of his accent remained, "Have you been keeping tabs on her or not? You were the best in the business, that's why I chose _you_," I could almost picture him shaking his head and stroking his graying beard, "Look, I have Yeligan following Dashkov, but he keeps losing track of him. Dashkov is a very smart man, and we shouldn't be underestimating him. It's only a matter of time until he figures out that she's a student at the university."

I rolled my eyes, knowing that Yeligan is an idiot and I should be the one pursuing Dashkov instead of watching a boring college student.

"So what do you want me to do?" My gaze traveled away from her table, and fixated on a section of western novels.

"I didn't want it to come to this," he sighed, "But I'm going to need you to confiscate her, and keep her in hiding. I'm still in Israel working on something, and I need to make sure she's safe. This is important, Belikov." He muttered my name through gritted teeth as if it were a curse word, and I could only imagine the veins popping out of his forehead.

"What?" I exasperated, "I'm a spy, I can't keep her hostage."

"You won't be keeping her hostage. It's more of a _babysitting_ job."

"That doesn't really make me feel any better."

"You'll feel better once you get your 40 grand, right?"

I cursed in Russian, knowing he was right.

"That's what I thought. I'll text you the directions of where you need to take her. I need you to bring her there as soon as possible, and you'll need to stay there with her until I get back. It might take a couple days with the travel time. I'll have Yeligan call you with updates about Dashkov."

"Right," I nodded, taking in all the information.

"The place where I'm sending you to should have all the things you need: food, clothes, and weapons for protection."

"Got it," I answered.

"Don't fail me, Belikov."

Finally, I heard the satisfying click of the phone hanging up.

I growled to myself as I turned back to the table.

"Shit," she was gone.

My eyes scanned the crowd, but she was nowhere to be found.

Pushing people out of the way, I exited the jam-packed library as a rush of cool air hit my face. The breeze made my stomach turn and my heart was pounding roughly against my chest. I looked away for a second- just a second! Dammit. I was getting rusty... I was slacking off... _Why couldn't I stay focused for just a couple minutes?_ Naturally, a slur of curses left my mouth as I peered down the empty dark street.

"Is that Russian?"

The voice came from behind me. I turned around slowly, already recognizing who it was.

Rose stood there simply, leaning against the brick wall of the library, wrapping her coat tightly around her body. She was a lot shorter up close, and I could actually make out the details of her small face. Her expression was strained, and there were visible bags under eyes as well as dark circles. Her eyebrows ruffled in the center of her forehead as she peered up at my tall frame.

"Yeah," I answered.

Her eyes were the same golden shade from the snowy morning she looked right at me.

"Why are you following me?" She stood up straight, and walked a little closer to where I was. Apparently my feet were glued to the ground, too stunned to move. She wasn't afraid- I could tell right away. She was hesitating, or stuttering and she didn't seem alarmed. She was just confused.

"What?"

"My mother worked for the CIA for sixteen years. I can tell when someone's following me."

Finally, my feet moved as my boots left a trail in the snow, before I knew it I was just inches away. She watched as I came nearer, but never flinched or backed away.

"Who are you?" She asked, but her voice came out as more of a whisper.

I didn't answer her, and I don't think she was expecting me to.

It wasn't until I was practically breathing on her, that I really noticed the height difference between us; she was at least an entire foot shorter. She looked up at me I could almost feel the warm puffs of air leaving her mouth as my hand reached up and around to back of her head. I expected her to smack my arm, to run away, or to yell for help. Instead she just tilted her head, not understanding. "I'm sorry," I whispered. And as I pressed the cold skin behind her ear, her eyes widened before falling unconscious.

I wasn't sure if it was because her pressure point was easy to find, or because I had done this so many times before, but she blacked out in a matter of seconds. I caught her swiftly in my arms as she fell forward. I was thankful for the darkness that covered us as I carried her through the empty streets and to the nearest car I could find.

It was a black Toyota Camry, a pretty basic and average car. From experience, I knew that I shouldn't choose anything too flashy or noticeable in case the person reported their car stolen. I wasn't really in the mood to outrun the cops at the moment, and I hoped it wouldn't come to that conclusion. Hopefully, the car belonged to some drunk fratboy who was passed out somewhere. Smiling, I opened the driver's side door with ease.

Thankfully, in Montana, no one locked their car doors.

We were inside, and the car was hot-wired in minutes (It was skill that I had accomplished over the years). I peered over at Rose's lifeless body in the passenger seat, noticing how peaceful she looked with her eyes closed. The moon's light beamed into the windshield, giving her an angelic glow. I stared at her for a while longer, before driving off into the darkness. I didn't have a real destination, but I knew my boss would send me somewhere far from the university. Somewhere out of the city, where there would be no lights or people or traffic.

So I drove, on and on.

I was at a red light when my phone vibrated. It was the text message that explained in full details where my destination was. My heart leaped as I re-read the message; I realized that I was going in the right direction after all. My idea of getting away from the university worked in my favor, and I knew that I had limited time since Rose would be waking up any minute. It was a simple route, but it would be a relatively long drive. I would have to stay on the same highway for a couple hours, driving north, almost hitting the Canadian border.

And as I joined other cars onto the expressway, the skies got darker and colder.

I wasn't sure how long it had been since I started driving, but the blinking clock stated 8:24. It had been about two hours since I followed Rose into the crowded library, and about an hour and a half since she'd been knocked out.

I had no idea what I was going to do next or what was going to happen from now on. _Everything_ was different know. I had kidnapped an eighteen year old college student in front of the school's library and forced her into a stolen car. I was lucky enough not to have any witnesses, but what if there were cameras watching the block? I groaned, reminding myself that the 40 grand was worth it as I turned sharply into an exit.

I found myself on a narrow, lonely road.

"What the hell is going on?"

Shit.

I glanced sideways at Rose. Her voice was slurred and she slouched in the seat. Her eyes were opening slightly, and she was clutching her head in pain. I could only imagine the headache that must be pounding against her skull. The way I knocked her out was completely painless and effortless, but the effects after you wake up can vary from headaches to vomiting. The look of confusion never left her face as she glanced between me and the interior of the small car.

Honestly, I almost forgot she was there.


	3. These Dark Nights

These Cold Nights:  
Chapter 3

* * *

"Are you going to kill me?"

The words rang through my ears and echoed over and over in my mind.

I had killed a man before, hell I've killed so many back in Russia. I've killed because I was hired to, because I used to be a reckless teenager, and because I used to act on impulse.

But I don't know why it came as shock to me when the question left her lips. After all, she knew I was spying on her for weeks, I had kidnapped her against her will and knocked her unconscious. Anyone would think that their life was in danger. But what really got me was that her voice was calm; as if she was welcoming the idea of her death. She didn't cower at me or cry or even try to scream. She didn't kick or flail in her seat, begging to be released.

As I glanced toward her, I could tell that she was puzzled.

"No," I spoke finally, "I'm not going to kill you."

I watched her from the mirror as her gaze never left mine. I could tell that she wasn't afraid of me, but at the same time she wouldn't let her guard down. A sigh of relief didn't even leave her mouth when I announced that I wouldn't kill her. Actually, her expression didn't change at all. Finally, she shuffled in her seat, reaching into the back pocket of her jeans for something.

She pulled out a smooth, black cellphone. The screen illuminated with life as she pressed a button on the side. It lit up the dark car and left a glow on her face as she peered down into it. I watched as her fingers glided across the touchscreen, attempting to call someone or send a text message. I could see the obvious frustration written all over her face as she kept pressing the same button over and over again.

"You aren't going to get any wireless signal out here; we're too high in the mountains. The last service station we passed was about half a mile back."

"Damnit," she muttered under her breath. She threw the phone down on her lap and crossed her arms over her chest. Giving up, she leaned back into the seat and watched the dark road ahead. The only light that was provided now was the two beams from the car, allowing us just enough brightness to see our surroundings. Breaking the silence, she cleared her throat, "Are you going to tell me why you knocked me out and kidnapped me?"

"I didn't necessarily _knock_ you out. It was more like putting you to sleep," I admitted coolly, "And I don't really like the term _kidnap_; it makes me feel like a pedophile. I honestly didn't want it to come to this at all," I growled under my breath, more towards my boss than Rose, "It was supposed to be a simple job, and now I feel like I'm responsible for so much more,"

She was quiet now, and before I knew it, a blanket of snow began to fall from the sky. It started at a slow pace, as flakes invaded the windshield, but then gradually increased. I turned on the wipers, making it a little clearer for me to see the empty road ahead. With all of the turns, I was pretty sure that I was driving right up the top of a mountain. It was still too dark for me to make out any of the scenery, but most of what I could see was covered in snow.

"You never answered my question," she announced.

I cleared my throat, knowing exactly what she meant, "I put you unconscious because I didn't think you'd agree to just jump into a car with me. I mean, you already knew that I was following you, so putting you unconscious seemed like the easiest way to go," I explained, "And I supposedly _kidnapped_ you because that's what my boss told me to do. Although, it's not really my style."

"Who do you work for?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"You answer them very vaguely."

"Touché."

"Why have you been following me?"

"I was hired to," I answered truthfully.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I have no idea. I guess we'll find out when we get there."

I think she believed me because she didn't have anything else to say after that. I took the moment of silence as an opportunity to read the text message again, just to make sure that I was turning on the right streets and switching onto the correct lanes. The detailed directions kept me going in the right area and I knew that I'd be reaching the destination soon. I kept my gaze straight ahead as I spoke, "When did you realize I was following you?"

l"That night at the café," she spoke smoothly, "You had a worn-out book laid flat on the table, probably something you've read about a million times. I could tell by the aging spine and yellowing pages," I nodded, realizing that I did read that book about a million times, "Nobody hangs around a coffeehouse at midnight to read a book they've read already. Especially not a student," she shook her head as if it were the most horrible thing, "Ever since that night, I knew that something weird was going on. Then when I spotted you in the park the next morning, I was a hundred percent sure that you were following me. It was more than just a coincidence."

"Impressive," I acknowledged, "I shouldn't have expected anything less from a CIA agent's daughter."

Her voice rose, "Don't talk about my mother. You don't know anything about her or _me_," she snapped. I must have hit something delicate inside of her, because I watched from the corner of my eye as her face reddened. The expression she wore was something between sorrow and anger.

"I actually know a lot more than you think."

"What do you know?"

"I know that your name is Rosemarie Hathaway, daughter of the deceased yet famous undercover agent Janine Hathaway. You graduated from St. Vladimir's High School during the summer, with an honor's diploma. You're a freshman at The University of Montana, majoring in criminal justice and minoring in forensic science. You're 5'7", weigh approximately 115 pounds and you will be turning nineteen on March hair is naturally brown, and your skin is naturally tan. Your mother is of Scottish descent and your father is Turkish. Your best friend is Vasilisa Dragomir, you met in kindergarten and now share an apartment together."

She clapped sarcastically, "Great. You've memorized my file. That doesn't mean that you _know_ me."

I sucked in a deep breath of air, "Your face gets red when you're mad, you squint your eyes tightly whenever you yawn, and you hate it when people talk about your mother. You don't really like it when people feel sorry for you or pity you, I can imagine that it makes you feel weak. Coffee doesn't really affect your energy, but the five spoons of sugar you use does. And even though your school has an indoor track, you prefer to run outdoors no matter how the weather is," I cleared my throat, feeling her stare on me, "Yes, I may have memorized your file, but I have also learned a lot by watching you over the past two weeks. I'm pretty sure I still don't know who _you_ are, but I think I know enough for now."

She scoffed and leaned back in her chair. I don't really know why I said all of that, but I feel like I needed to. I honestly didn't realize I knew that much about her until I said it out loud, I just wanted to prove a point but then I kept rambling on. I could feel the heat from my cheeks rise and I knew that my face was turning a pinkish red color.

And it had nothing to do with the heat in the car.

She was quiet for the rest of the drive, and so was I. At one point she attempted to turn on the radio, but the feedback was so bad it just sounded like a dying screeching cat. Frankly, I think I would have preferred that over the eery silence between us. It was a little passed midnight when I felt a rush of relief as I spotted our destination in the distance, "We're here," I announced, more to myself than to her.

Instantly, her eyes flicked to the wet windshield, "Oh no," she groaned.

It was a cabin, literally in the middle of nowhere.

It was snowing even harder out here, and once I turned the car off, our surroundings turned into complete darkness. The scenery reminded me a lot of Baia in the wintertime; with the tall pine trees, snow covered bushes and the deers that I'm sure lingered through the forest. A feeling of nostalgia filled my chest as I turned the car off, parking in front of the wooden cabin.

"Where the hell are we?" Rose uttered, stepping out of the car. She pulled her hood over her head, avoiding the heavy flakes that fell from the sky. Her cheeks were pink again from the cold and the bottom of her hair traveled in the breeze.

As I strolled out of the car, my feet sank into the thick snow instantly, "Somewhere between Canada and Montana."

"And what makes you think I won't run away?" She asked, eying the pine trees and bare bushes. The snow was nearly up to her knees as she attempted to walk around the car. She wobbled a little and I could barely make out her small figure in the darkness. The only thing I could see was the puffs of smoke that left her lips every time she opened her mouth to say something.

I chuckled a little, "Where are you gonna go? There's nothing around for miles. You'd probably die from hypothermia before you even find food, shelter or human civilization."

She rolled her eyes at me, "And you think I feel safer with you in some abandoned cabin? No thank you sir, I've seen enough horror movies to know how this is going to play out. You'd try to lure me in with your charm and Russian accent, and I'll fall for it, you know since I'm a stupid little college girl. Then before I know it, I'll be in the shower when you attack me with a butcher's knife. I'll try to run away, but you'd grab me by my hair and cut off all of my limbs and cook them in a nice boiling stew. I think I'll take my chances in the woods."

I smiled, trying to picture myself as some crazy serial killer that attracts college girls into some snowy cabin in the woods. But as she said all of this, I found the key for the door under a rather frozen bucket on the front porch. The small silver key was cold in my hand, but worked perfectly as I unlocked the front door of the cabin. As the door opened, I noticed it was dark inside and it smelled like rotting vegetables.

"Are you coming in?"

I watched for a moment, as she contemplated the idea in her head. She was hesitating, I could tell, she didn't know what she should do. Would it make sense for her to stay in some abandoned cabin in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger that kidnapped her? Or should she take her chances out in the snowy woods? But there was a flaw in that plan: If she _tried _to run away, we all knew that I would catch her within seconds.

She didn't underestimate me.

"Yeah," she breathed, and another of smoke left her lips.

* * *

[A/N]: I just want to thank everyone who reviewed, your comments make me feel confident and keep me writing!


	4. These Warm Nights

These Cold Nights:  
Chapter 4

* * *

The cabin was cool inside, but not as cold as the stiff weather of the snowy woods. As the lights flickered on, my vision adjusted to the surroundings. I was standing in a small, rectangular kitchen with wooden cabinets, a large refrigerator and an oven with a stove-top. The tiles were yellowing and worn-out and the kettle that adorned the stove looked as if it was a hundred years old.

The next room down a short hallway was a quint family room with old-time sofas and a small coffee table. There was a large bookshelf off to the side of the room, and a huge stone fireplace on the other. There was a burgundy carpet covering the entire floor and old picture frames hanging from the walls. I didn't recognize anyone in the photos, but then again I didn't expect to. As my eyes scanned the rest of the room, something in the far off corner caught my eye. It was an old time computer, with a huge monitor and brain sitting on a fancy redwood desk with a beige keyboard in front.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

"Can I see your laptop?"

"Excuse me?"

When Rose had gone to the library earlier in the night, she brought her laptop with her in a black messenger bag along with her school books. She had the same bag slung over her shoulder as she followed me into the living room. Honestly, she seemed like the kind of person that didn't go anywhere without her laptop. But the reaction on her face seemed like she didn't want to hand it over.

"Why do you need my laptop?"

"So I can contact my boss's assistant. Our phones have no wireless signal up here in the mountains, but if I plug the ethernet cord from _this_ computer into _your_ laptop, I should be able to get an internet signal." Reluctantly, she paused for a moment before unzipping the bag and handing me her purple laptop. For some reason, seeing it again reminded me of the night that I watched her in the coffeehouse.

"Thanks."

"I still don't trust you," she remarked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Do you still think I'm going to kill you?" I asked, plugging the wires from the back of the computer to her laptop. The screen illuminated with life and the features being shown had proven that my theory was correct. I would be able to contact someone using the built-in web-cam that was at the top of the screen.

I could tell that she still refused to let her guard down as she kept her hands crossed over her chest, standing quite a distance away from me. Her face had warmed up a little from being inside and away from the cold wind. But her feet were still stiff in it's spot and she seemed out of place. Her voice was shaky when she finally answered back, "Well your not exactly my friend, or even an acquaintance. You _snatched_ me away after forcing me unconscious. What would you expect?"

"Look I know it seems like I'm the bad guy, but I'm really not. I promise."

She shrugged and looked away.

I had the laptop working and after typing a few codes and validating everything, a familiar face popped up on the screen. It was a girl around eighteen years old, with shoulder length blonde hair and a pale complexion. I recognized her as my boss's new assistant and waved as her brown eyes fell on me through the camera.

"Belikov? Is that you? The connection is kind of blurry, I can barely see you."

"Yeah Sage, it's me."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah I thought I'd just check in with you guys. My phone has no service up here."

I felt Rose as she peered over my shoulder, "Who are you talking to? Oh my- SYDNEY SAGE?"

"Hey, Rose," The blonde in the computer smiled.

"You two know each other?" I asked, looking back and forth between the girl in the screen and the girl sitting next to me.

"We were both interns for my mom's agency last summer."

"Yeah, we used to file papers and organize folders together for two months," Sydney rolled her eyes playfully and smiled showing dimples. I felt Rose chuckle beside me as if she was remembering something funny from long ago. Then the expressions on their faces turned serious, "I'm sorry about your mom, Rose. I just heard about what happened a few days ago. I wish I could have been at the funeral."

"Thanks, and it's okay," she sank into the chair, Her eyes flickered away from the screen as she changed the subject,"So where are we and what's going on? And how do you two know each other?" She pointed a finger between me and the computer.

"She's my boss's new assistant," I explained.

"Syd, you've been working with these kidnappers and spies?"

She shook her head, "Rose, it's not like that. They are not bad people, I promise. I know everything must seem so confusing right now- but trust me, it's going to be fine. Dimitri was hired to watch over you, for your _protection_. At first it was just supposed to be an easy job, but the circumstances have changed. Now, things have gotten a little out of hand, so he needed to get you somewhere safe. That's all."

"But who's after me? I don't understand."

"I can't tell you that right now, but I promise everything will be explained to you soon. As long as you stay with Dimitri, you'll be fine. He's the best fighter we have on the squad, you couldn't be safer with anyone else. I just need you to trust me and to trust Dimitri too."

Rose gulped.

"Where are we anyway?" I asked, curious about the snowy cabin in the middle of nowhere.

"Well, Abe and I were trying to think of a very secure place where you guys could hide for a couple days. At first we couldn't really come up with anything; we contemplated between some haunted house in Springfield Valley and an abandoned motel in Riverdale. But then I remembered this cabin that my grandfather used to take me and my family to during the holidays. It's completely secluded and nothing is around for miles. Usually that's a disadvantage for most people, but in your case it's actually a good thing."

"Right," I nodded.

"There should be food stocked up in the cabinets; Probably beans, pasta, rice and other things that have a long expiration date. There should be a few cases of water bottles in the storage closet next to the refrigerator. And you can check the rooms for any spare clothes you guys need, I'm sure my cousins have shirts and stuff that'll fit you," she elaborated, then her eyes grew wide and her voice dropped, "Oh, and Dimitri; there's a loose floorboard in the corner of the living room. There should be a 22 caliber pistol in there- use it if you need it. It should be already fully loaded."

I nodded, instantly glancing towards the corner of the living room.

"Wait," Rose looked up, "Isn't your grandfather coming up here for the holidays? Tomorrow is Christmas Eve."

Sydney let out a laugh, "Oh no, he and my grandmother are taking a cruise to the Bahamas this year. They wanted to change it up since all their grandchildren are in college now," she stated, "Well I should go now before Abe starts barking at me. I'll try and check up on you guys tomorrow. Good luck and make the most of your stay."

The screen had turned blank after that, and there was a moment of silence between me and Rose. I closed her laptop, leaving it on the redwood desk, and walked over to the corner of the living room. I found the loose floorboard that Sydney was talking about and retrieved the silver gun. As I was doing so, I felt Rose's stare on me with every move that I made.

"So you guys really are the _good guys_, huh?"

I turned around slowly after securing the gun with the back of my belt, and covering it with my shirt.

"So you trust Sage and not me?"

"Well Sydney never tried to kidnap me or stuff my unconscious body in a stolen car and drive me off to some secluded cabin in the woods," She tilted her head as her dark hair flowed like a curtain behind her. Silence fell between us again as we watched each other from across the room. She looked so small and lost in her big navy blue sweatshirt, but her tight black jeans showed the shape of her slender legs. Shifting her eyes away from me, she cleared her throat, "She said that you were protecting me... since day one. Is that true?"

"Of course," I breathed, "I was hired to."

I added the last part on a whim.

I guess there was a certain tone in my voice that made her ears perk as she straightened up in her seat. I couldn't tell if she was mad or angry or completely the opposite. The emotions she gave off weren't exactly clear and I couldn't read the expressions on her face. She eyed me suspiciously, then tucked her hair behind her ears and got up from the couch. Eventually, her gaze left me as she wandered out of the room and into the cabin's hallway.

"Where are you going?"

As she traveled over to the kitchen, I could still hear her as she spoke aloud, "You must be hungry. When was the last time you ate?"

"This morning," I noted.

"Well maybe I can make something," her voice wafted around the sound of the faucet running and cabinets opening, "It's the least I can do for you saving me and protecting me. I honestly still feel weird about it, but if we're going to staying here for the next couple days, we might as well make the most of it. But I still don't agree with the whole spying thing... I'm not exactly a damsel in distress. I know how to take care of myself."

"Well, you shouldn't underestimate the people who are after you."

"Who _is _after me, anyway?"

Her voice was calm and conversational.

I hesitated, wanting to say something more, but I bit my tongue. I had to be careful; really careful. The mission was never supposed to happen this way: I was never supposed start talking to her or be friends with her. It was a simple spy mission. I just had to keep my distance and watch her every move without her noticing me. I was supposed to move like a shadow. Instead, this turned out to be some kind of hostage/hiding-out mission that is completely knew to me.

I wasn't used to _talking_ or _living_ with my projects.

And that's what she is... just a project. By next week, I'll be on the next mission with a good 40 grand in my pockets. I shouldn't let myself get too comfortable... I shouldn't be talking to her- especially not about the confidential things. I wanted to answer her question though. I wanted to answer her so bad, but I knew that it was against the rules... I couldn't. If I jeopardized this, it would mean no money.

And that's whats important right? The paycheck at the end of the day?

I stood silent as I walked into the kitchen. She apparently had found some oats, non-expirational canned milk and a package of sugar. A small silver pot was over the fire, bubbling up. Soon, the kitchen smelt of brown sugar and cinnamon, "I hope you like oatmeal. It's the quickest thing to make, and I have all the ingredients."

"My mom used to put cinnamon in my oatmeal too," I blurted.

She smiled forcefully, I could tell that she was still having a hard time letting her guard down, "It adds a better taste."

I smiled back, then mentally smacked my own forehead. _What the hell was I doing? _I just chastised myself about not getting too comfortable around her.

My feet stomped a little as I dragged myself away from _her_ and out of the kitchen, I went back into the living room and straight to the fire place. The wood sitting in the stone hearth looked old, but would have to do for tonight. I would probably have to go out into the snow tomorrow to get fresh wood, but right now it was just too dark and too cold outside.

I found a box of matches on the mantle, and lit the fireplace quickly as it reminded me of my house back in Baia. Soon the cabin smelt of burning pine and the living room was warmed up instantly. And as I sat, crossed legged on the warm bear skin rug in front of the fireplace, I couldn't help but think what the next few days would bring. Would Victor Dashkov find us all the way out here? And why did he want Rose so badly anyway?

I leaned back on my elbows as I watched the wood burn in the flames.


	5. These Frustrating Nights

These Cold Nights:

Chapter 5

* * *

I awoke groggily the next morning.

There was a line of drool trailing from my chin to the soft cushion of the couch pillow. I propped myself up and noticed Rose's sleeping body on the other side of the living room. She was shivering in her blue sweatshirt, and I realized I wasn't feeling too warm either. The flames in the fireplace had gone off hours ago, and we had been surviving in the circulating heat all night.

I rose, and walked over to the nearest bedroom. It was quaint, with wooden bed posts and a furry bear rug on the ground. Slowly, I pulled off the knitted quilt from the mattress, and went back to living room with it. I placed it comfortably over Rose's sleeping form, and she subconsciously accepted it by snuggling underneath the warmth.

Her face was peaceful.

And I liked that look on her.

I looked around the living room, noticing a bulky object on the couch that I had been sleeping on. Then I remembered last night, I had went back out into the snow and taken the battery out of the car. I couldn't take the chance of Rose escaping. I still felt like she didn't trust me- or want to trust me. My eyes tore away from the battery and scanned the rest of the room. Our oatmeal plates were still scattered across the coffee table, so I piled them and put them in the kitchen sink.

They still smelt of brown sugar and cinnamon.

I went back to the small bedroom and raided the closet for a pair of strong snow boots and warm fur coat. It reminded me a lot of what I used to wear in Russia, and decided that I might as well use it if I was going outside. The coat was a little big, but the boots were a perfect fit. Soon, I was ready to go outside into the cold.

The snow had stopped, leaving a winter wonderland all around.

The sun was out, and I could now clearly see the surroundings. There were more trees than I predicted and in the near distance there was a large frozen lake. The black car we arrived in was still parked a few meters away from the house, but was now in a mountain of snow. I could barely make out the wheels.

I walked around the back of the house, were there was a toolshed. Inside were shovels, fishing rods, and axes. There were also a few shelves with everyday tools like screwdrivers, hammers and wrenches. That's when I noticed something strange from the corner of my eye. It was a glass cabinet, with 3 rifles standing straight up.

Obviously, they were hunting rifles, but I found it precarious that there were almost no animals around. Suddenly, I wondered what kind of people lived here.

Shaking negative thoughts out of my head, I looked back at the larger tools. I eyed a heavy axe, knowing that I would eventually have to chop wood for the fireplace. I was hoping that for today I would get off lucky and find some good pieces lying around. I sighed, debating on my chances.

Fate was on my side as I expanded outside of the yard. There were thick pieces of branches that would serve well in the fireplace- at least for the rest of the day. I bent down, scooping them into my fur covered arms. My long arms held a good amount at once, and I was grateful for that. It would suck to make more than one trip back and forth to the cabin.

"Hey!"

I turned around swiftly, dropping some of the pine branches that I cradled. It was Rose, pulling a fur coat around her own body. She must have taken it from the same room I did. "What are you doing out here?" I yelled, "Weren't you asleep?"

She strode closer to where I stood, "You slammed the door on your way out."

"I'm sorry," I confessed, "Didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's okay, I thought you were running away and abandoning me."

I shook my head, "You still don't trust me, huh?"

She bit down on her pink bottom lip, "It's hard, okay? I've never been in a situation like this before," a puff of smoke left her mouth with every word, "What are you doing out here anyway? It's freezing."

I gestured toward the branches, "I was getting wood for the fireplace."

"I'll help you," She offered, lifting up a few.

Soon, we were back in the house, huffing and puffing. Although we were just two minutes away from the yard, the snow was difficult to walk through. We had to lift our feet almost two feet high with every step. The hallway had a trail of melted snow as we abandoned our boots and trekked into the house.

We dropped the wood into the hearth and I lit it up immediately, soaking up the warmth of the rising flames. Soon, the entire cabin smelt of fresh pine.

"I'll get breakfast," I announced, shaking the fur coat off and entering the kitchen. After ransacking the cabinets, I decided that cereal would be an ideal morning meal. I got the same nonexpirational milk and found some dry cereal flakes in the pantry that reminded me a lot of Corn Flakes.

Footsteps entered the kitchen, and Rose came in, also removing her fur coat.

"Sorry it's not really a five star meal," I noted, shaking the box of cereal.

She smiled slightly, pouring herself a bowl, "Oh please, I'm a college student. For me it's all about cereal and instant mac and cheese."

"I saw some ramen noodles in the cabinet, maybe we can have somewhat of a decent meal for dinner."

"I'll be looking forward to it," she nodded.

I poured myself a bowl too, and sat next to her at the small wooden kitchen table.

"So," she started, "Yesterday, in the car, you made it pretty clear that you knew a lot about me and my life. Of course you studied my file and all, but I still feel like it's unfair. The only thing I know about you is that you like to read Western novels and you know how to hotwire a car."

I chuckled at the last statement, "Well what else would you like to know?"

"Your full name, age, origin of birth and the organization that you work for."

I cleared my throat, and was taken back a little by the sudden list of demands, "My full name is Dimitri Belikov, I am twenty four years old, I was born in Baia, Russia and I don't work for an _organization._ I work for people who hire me_._"

"And who is this person who hired you to spy/kidnap me?"

I hesitated for a moment. She already knew more that she should.

"His name is Abe. I met him in France a couple months ago. I don't really know much about him; only that he dresses like an Italian mobster."

"What were you doing in France?"

"Well if you must know, I was finishing up another job."

"Do you speak French?"

"Oui. But how is that relevant?"

"It's not, I just wanted to know."

There's a ghost of a smile on her face, I could tell from her eyes, but her lips refused to curl upwards. The house began to warm up and the familiar smell of burning wood filled the air. I got the impression that the interrogation was over, so I began to eat the cereal. The milk was refreshing and cold as it slid down my dry throat.

The silence between us is more comfortable than it was yesterday.

Suddenly, I hear a chiming tone coming from the living room.

"Oh! That's my laptop!"

Is it Sage? I drop my spoon and follow Rose out of the kitchen and into the next room. She darted out seconds before I did, nearly knocking over her bowl. I could feel the excitement radiating off of her, but when I enter the living room, I see the complete opposite. She's kneeling on the bear skin rug in front of her laptop. She's staring at the screen, not even moving a muscle. Once again, the computer lets out a chiming tone.

"What is it?" I ask, stepping closer.

"It's Lissa. She wants to videochat."

"You can't!" I exclaim, stepping closer.

She turns to face me, her expression is grim, "Please, Dimitri. She must have noticed that I didn't come home last night. She's worried about me."

I stand my ground and shake my head, even though the look in her eyes makes my stomach feel weird. Is it guilt? I shake my head once more and close my eyes, "Rose, no one can know where we are. I'm sorry but I can't let you talk to her."

When I open my eyes, she's standing up, refusing to face me. When her mouth opens, her voice is almost as low as a whisper, "You know, I was starting to feel a little comfortable around you; but I guess I have to remind myself that you _kidnapped_ me and you're holding me hostage hundreds of miles away from my home."

I didn't even get a chance to reply, because she turned on her heel and stomped outside of the room.

I sigh, throw my hands over my face, and lower myself onto the nearest seat. When did things become so complicated? How many missions have I been on? How many men have I killed? How many people have I tracked without them even noticing me? But this! This girl! She's noticed me from the beginning! How?! She's just a college student… just a girl!

I run my fingers through my hair, scratching my scalp in frustration.

What is that feeling in my chest, in my stomach, in my head? _Is _it guilt?

I open my eyes, as the orange sunset fills the room through the windows. I'm sitting in the same spot as before. I must have fell asleep after whirring my brain around all the complications my life has endured in the past twenty four hours. I get up and rub my eyes tiredly. From the looks of it, I was probably sleeping for about five or six hours.

Damn. I didn't even know I was tired.

I pass the front door on my way to the kitchen. Our fur coats and hiking boots remain in the same place as this morning. And in the kitchen, our cereal bowls are still half-eaten and on the small table where we were.

Where is she?

I walk out and down the short hall to the bedrooms. I look into the first one and notice that the bed's quilt was still missing from this morning. But what caught my eye was the pile of clothes that were on top. As I got closer, I noticed Rose's blue sweatshirt and jeans. I raised an eyebrow, and turned around just in time to see her leaving the bathroom.

Droplets of water fell from her wet hair as she walked into the bedroom. She was dressed in a tight green shirt, with sleeves that reached all the way to her hands. She also managed to find a pair of gray sweatpants that were fitted on her petite frame. There was rosiness to her cheeks that resembled the same shade of her full lips.

"Finally awake, huh?"

"Yeah," I swallowed, "I didn't mean to fall asleep. I didn't even know I was that tired."

My eyes trailed down her body once more, noticing the small shape of her waist. She ran a towel through her hair, attempting to dry it. I gulped and swallowed once more.

"The fire burned out while you were asleep."

"Oh," I hadn't noticed. The house was still relatively warm, "I'll get some more wood."

She nodded, and once again I spotted a ghost of a smile through her eyes.

"Are you still mad?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

She tilted her head to the side, "For the past few hours, I had a lot of time to think. I realized that you haven't killed me yet and you haven't been mean to me or rude in anyway," she shrugged her shoulders in defeat, "I just wish I knew more of what was going on. I feel like I'm lost in the dark here."

"I told you everything I knew. I answered all your questions about and the guy who hired me. I don't know anything else. I'm in the dark just as much as you are."

"I know," she nodded. She didn't say anything else; instead, she hung the towel up so that it could dry and left the room quietly. I watched her as she left the room, noticing the way her body moved and shifted as she walked.

I groaned and entered the bathroom. It was still steamy from her shower, and the mirror was foggy. I turned on the light, and watched as the room illuminated with a dull glow. I washed the sleepiness from my eyes and peered into the smoky mirror. I wiped a small part clear with the back of my hand so that I could peer at myself through dark eyes.

But in the center of those dark eyes that I studied, I noticed something. Something that wasn't there before.

Hope.


End file.
